McNamara, Geraghty and Russell – An Update

The Racing Post have just this morning released an update on the jockey Robbie McNamara, the rider who missed out on a spin on Grand National top weight Lord Windermere after he sustained life threatening injuries when being thrown from his mount at Wexford in Ireland just days prior to the Aintree spectacular.

The 26-year-old’s injuries were numerous, ranging from multiple fractured ribs, a collapsed lung and internal bleeding, to fractured vertebrae and spinal trauma.

Today’s news then is that McNamara is well after undergoing spinal surgery in Dublin and has left his bed for the first time since his accident. Indeed the two-time 2014 Cheltenham Festival winning jockey took to Twitter to write,

‘Delighted to get out of the bed for the first time today. What a beautiful day for it to land on #littlevictories’

His message and accompanying photo has since been retweeted over 700 times and has been favourited nearly 2,000 times. You can see this photograph or can add your name to the growing number of people sending their positive thoughts to Robbie by accessing his account on the social media site, that being @RobbiepMcN.

The publication also quotes an interview that took place between the horseman, who was on 14/1 shot Bursledon when falling, and The Final Furlong podcast. The jockey told them,

‘I’m feeling great and I’m still optimistic. I’ve no feeling in my legs at the minute, but it’s early days.

‘My back is battered and bruised and there’s a lot of swelling. I’d be hoping when all that swelling and bruising goes down, some of the nerve damage might repair and some of the feeling might come back.’

There has also been some news regarding Barry Geraghty, another who was forced out of the Aintree Festival after coming a-cropper on the track. The one-time Grand National winner broke his leg when coming off his mount, Edward O’Grady’s Sailors Warn, at Downpatrick.

Geraghty has said that there is a ‘slim’ chance that he might feature in Saturday’s Sandown Festival though has higher hopes with regards to next week’s five day Punchestown Festival.

The jockey, who was meant to be aboard The Druids Nephew in the big one in Liverpool, has told the press that he will find out tomorrow whether or not he will be fit enough to ride at Ireland’s premier festival.

Sporting Life reports the Irishman as saying, ‘My prospects for Punchestown are probably a bit slim, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed. Punchestown is still a week away.’

There’s similar news regarding another Grand National absentee, Davy Russell, he having broken his arm at Gowran Park. The 2015 Cheltenham Festival Cross Country chase winner on Rivage D’Or, he told Sky Sports that the chances of him returning for Punchestown are ’50-50′.

The formerly injured Mark Walsh will be back in the saddle tomorrow though Davy Condon, whose injury came during the Grand National when on Portrait King, has told the press that he does not know if he will ever ride again after sustaining a second bout of spinal concussion.

Though it goes without saying, we wish all injured riders the very best with their recoveries and those just getting back into the saddle every success.